Madison Elementary
October 2020 Newsletter
NO SCHOOL
on Thursday, October 22
and
Friday, October 23
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
This year parent-teacher conferences will be completed by Zoom. Each child will bring home a flyer with the date and time of your conference. To confirm your conference time, please sign and date the form and return it to your child’s classroom teacher. A link to the Zoom conference will be sent to you by email.
Parent Teacher Conference Dates
Tuesday, October 13
Thursday, October 15
CAREER DAY
Madison students will participate in Career Day
on Monday, October 19th for Group 1 students
and
on Wednesday, October 21st for Group 2 students
Students are encouraged to dress up in a career outfit.
Some ideas of acceptable careers are:
Truck Driver
Construction Worker
Doctor
Firefighter
Cook
Military/Soldier
Nurse
Police Officer
Farmer
Musician
Teacher
Principal
**Please don’t send students to school in Halloween costumes that do not fit with the career theme.
COULD YOUR FAMILY BENEFIT FROM FOOD ASSISTANCE?
We have a program that can help you! The Husky Hutch Food Pantry! We offer assistance at any time.
Mission:
The mission of the Husky Hutch Food Pantry is a free service to help alleviate child hunger through the provision of food to children and their families at school. The pantry is located on the grounds of Clara Barton Elementary School and is intended to provide a more readily accessible source of food assistance and clothing assistance to low-income students and their families. It is open to all elementary school children in the Fargo Public Schools Network and is accessible through a Student Wellness Facilitator (SWFF), School Counselor, or School Principal. It could be a one-time visit or more as needed and is totally confidential.
What types of items will be available at the school pantry?
Most of the items available are shelf stable, nutritious, and easy to prepare so that the children are able to care for themselves as much as possible. Some staples that should be available:
● Crackers, cookies, fruit snacks, granola bars, fruit bars, chips, etc.
● Canned tuna or chicken
● Cereal
● Canned soups and pasta meals
● Applesauce, canned fruit, canned vegetables
● Beverages (water, juice, etc.)
● Assortment of other food items
● Assortment of hygiene products
Is there a charge to students and families who receive assistance?
This program will be provided at no charge to the children participating in the School Pantry program.
Hours of Operation:
The Husky Hutch Food Pantry provides ongoing food assistance services along with the Great Plains Food Bank, on regularly scheduled school days from 7:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Contact us at huskyhutch@fargo.k12.nd.us
McKinney-Vento Homeless Services
If you or your family live in any of the following:
- a shelter, motel, car or campground
- with friends/family because you can't afford housing or have been evicted
- on the street
- in an abandoned building or trailer
Contact Mary, FPS Homeless Liaison at 701-446-2456 or by email at kruegem1@fargo.k12.nd.us
We may be able to help with:
· Free Breakfast and Lunch
· Transportation to School of Origin
· Help with Enrollment
· School Supplies and Clothing
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Hello and welcome back to school! This year has been tough on everybody, whether it’s figuring out the technology, adjusting to a new schedule, or wondering when we’ll get our ‘normalcy” back. Please continue to take care of yourselves (mentally, physically, and emotionally) and reach out to me for any questions or needs. We’re all in this together!
I have enjoyed popping into classrooms to say hello. This school year the kids will be watching videos of the counseling lessons in their classrooms and then I will be coming in to do a follow-up activity. I’m still available to meet with kids and help them with their social-emotional needs. Please don’t hesitate to contact me at 446-5126 or linnelj@fargo.k12.nd.us
Coats for Kids and Families
· Individuals can apply for the voucher and be able to pick up the coats at the same time.
· Includes “gently used” winter items such as coats, hats, mittens, snow pants, and boots for kids and families.
· Head of household must bring in a photo ID and a Social Security card for each member of their household who wants to receive a coat, hat, or gloves.
· Individuals can also register for the holiday food boxes during the distribution.
**Photo ID and social security card required for these registrations**
2020 Distribution:
October 1st-30th 9am-4pm
**By appointment only** please call 701-232-5565
304 Roberts Street Fargo, ND
Located one block north of the Federal Building (located near a bus stop)
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE PROGRAM
We will once again participate in the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program this school year. The produce will be prepared in our Nutrition Services kitchens and be available for pick up with the milk at milk break. We will try to serve a variety of favorites and new products and serving sizes will vary.
We plan to serve four days a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will be no produce on Monday.
ATTENDANCE/TARDY
It is important for Madison students to be on time every day. Attendance is a very important factor in becoming successful students. If your child is late getting to school, they are missing important activities in the morning. If you know your child will be late or absent, please call the attendance phone number 446-5119 before 8:40 a.m. Thank you.
Our school doors open at 8:25am and the school day begins at 8:40am.
HEAD LICE
Never a topic we want to discuss, but something we need to be informed about.
The Fargo Public Schools policy regarding head lice (AP 4780) states: Exclude from school until treated and determined to be non-communicable (no nits). Children should be treated for head lice as soon as possible. Close contacts should be discouraged. Note: Cass Public Health philosophy differs from that of Fargo Public Schools.
If there have been head lice in your child’s classroom you will not be notified. Students and parents often share this information with one another but according to policy, we cannot share this from the office. Please do your part to check your child at home.
What are head lice?
Head lice are small insects (less than 1/8 inch long). They range in color from red to brown, black, yellow-tan or grey-white. Head lice live on blood they draw from the scalp and lay tiny grey/white eggs, known as nits, on a hair shaft near the scalp. The warmth from the scalp is needed for the eggs to hatch. Head lice are not known to spread disease.
Who is at risk for head lice?
Head lice infestations occur in all socioeconomic groups, are not an indication of poor hygiene and can affect anyone.
What are the symptoms of head lice?
Most people who have head lice do not have symptoms at all. When symptoms do occur, the most common signs include itching of the skin on the scalp or neck where lice feed. Nits are glued to hair, commonly behind ears and at or near the nape of the neck. Scratching, especially behind and around ears and at the nape of the neck, may lead to open sores and a bacterial infection that also may cause swollen lymph nodes.
How soon do symptoms appear?
Symptoms appear when a live louse is present.
How are head lice spread?
Head lice are most commonly spread by direct contact with hair. Additionally, infested people can also spread head lice by sharing combs, brushes, hats, blankets or sheets with others, but this is not very common. It can be spread only by live lice and not nits.
When and for how long is a person able to spread head lice?
Head lice will spread until they are treated with a chemical that kills lice and until the eggs have been killed or removed. Research has shown that removal of nits may not be necessary.
How is a person diagnosed?
Diagnosing head lice is done by identifying the presence of live lice or nits within ¼ inch of the scalp. Identification of eggs and lice with the naked eye is possible; however, the use of a hand lens or microscope may help to confirm the identification.
What is the treatment?
Over-the-counter treatments and prescriptions that kill lice and most viable eggs are available. Follow the directions on the label. Re-treat nine days after initial treatment if not otherwise specified on the product label. Contact your health-care provider or local public health unit for more information.
Does past infection make a person immune?
No. A person who previously had head lice may get it again.
Should children or others be excluded from childcare, school, work or other activities if they have had lice?
No. Young children with head lice do not need to be excluded from childcare and school, but they should be treated as soon as possible after diagnosis. However, try to minimize any activity that involves the child in head to head contact with other children or sharing of any headgear until after the child has been completely treated.
Additionally, older children and adults do not have to be excluded from childcare, work, school or other activities but should be treated as soon as possible after diagnosis. Just like younger children, older children and adults should minimize any activity that involves head to head contact with other people or sharing of any headgear until after treatment has been completed.
It is the policy of Fargo Public Schools NOT to send letters home with students if they have been exposed to head lice.
What can be done to prevent the spread of head lice?
Follow these steps to prevent the spread of head lice:
· Avoid sharing headgear, coats, hats, hair ornaments, helmets, headphones, combs, brushes, towels and bedding.
· Combs and brushes should be washed in hot water (130 degrees) for 10 minutes.
· Items that cannot be washed should be bagged and stored for two weeks.
· Provide separate storage areas for clothing so that the personal articles of one person do not touch the personal articles of another.
· When an infestation is found, check the hair and scalp of all household members and treat only those who have lice and those who share the same bed with the infested person.
Additional Information
For additional information about head lice, head lice removal, school exclusions, etc. contact:
North Dakota Department of Health
Division of Family Health
1-800-472-2286
Madison Elementary
Email: olsonb4@fargo.k12.nd.us
Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/Madison
Location: Madison Elementary School, 29th Street North, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-5100